Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did.So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. --- Mark Twain

Monday, April 15, 2013

Carretera Austral, Day 5.

The further twenty kilometres of the road is mountainous, and it`s good that didn`t drive in the dark. Not much traffic here. A local wishes to get to the village of Cerro Castilolo, a few dozen kilometres away, and I'll give him a lift.

And then there are two cyclists by the side of the road. In fact Carretera Austral is quite popular among bikers. But mostly they have two-wheel bikes. This kind of one-wheel bike is usually not used in such conditions.
From Ushuaia to Santiago in 6 month - http://monocyclette.ca/ ja https://www.facebook.com/Monocyclette.ca
Respect! I do not know what else to say but - it's just another good example of how to travel around the world.

Further on there is a small village - Villa Cerro Castillo. The Rough Guide Map of Chile shows that the "Cave of Hands (Las Manos de Cerro Castillo)"is located here as well. There is even a medium-sized signpost. The parking lot at the end of the road is empty and the ticket office a few hundred meters away is locked.
The path takes to the paintings on the wall of the cliff.

The same technology as in the Cueva de los Manos of Argentina is used. But the place itself is much smaller, and the impressions are dimmer. As there is no guide available to ask more info I take for a couple of pictures and move back.

Then something unexpected happens. A decent paved road begins - the first smooth part of the road over a long period of time.

An autumn forest.

And mountains and more mountains again. The road is made of concrete, it is not asphalt.

The good and decent road continues further. I make a stop at Coihaique to refuel and to buy some food supplies. Having get acquainted with the town I move on towards the port town of Puerto Aisen - as it is still too early to look for an overnight place. Of course the best choice would be a camping with Wifi but usually can`t find this kind of a perfect place.
Further on the road takes to the port town of Puerto Chacabuco. From here one can get to Puerto Montt. The ferry goes twice a week, the trip takes 24 hours. The distance is about 444 kilometers.
For a change a map found from the ship's company's website

The overnight place this time is the parking lot in front of the Rio Simson National Park